Sports
Hockey

Ducks lead Red Wings 3-2 after overtime victory

Ducks forward Saku Koivu is called for goaltender interference as he skates into Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard during Game 5 of their NHL Western Conference quarterfinal at the Honda Center in Anaheim, May 8, 2013. (MIKE BLAKE/Reuters)

Nick Bonino scored less than two minutes into overtime to give the Ducks a 3-2 victory over the Red Wings on Wednesday in Anaheim, and the same lead in their best-of-seven opening-round Stanley Cup playoff series.

The Ducks will try to finish the series Friday in Detroit.

Bonino was on the spot for a loose puck and made the most of the chance when he lifted the puck into the cage to the delight of the 17,395 fans at the Honda Center.

“That's huge,” Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. “They're all big right now, but Game 5 is a pretty crucial thing going into their building.

“Hopefully we can go there with the same urgency we had tonight.”

Bonino will go down as the hero, but the game-changer was Getzlaf, who made two key plays late in the second period to put the momentum on his club's side.

With his team down 2-1 and trying to kill off a major penalty handed to Daniel Winnik for boarding, a hit that sent Daniel Cleary to the dressing room, Getzlaf ended Detroit's man-advantage by stealing the puck at his own blueline, which forced Wings rookie defenceman Brendan Smith to take a holding infraction to prevent a shorthanded breakaway.

Getzlaf followed it up by tying the game during his club's ensuing man-advantage.

After he carried the puck into the offensive zone and forced the defenders to back way too far toward their own goal, Getzlaf ripped a top-corner wrist shot to tie the game at two goals apiece.

“Drew a penalty, scored a goal. Went in, patience, patience, patience and puts it right where he wants to. That’s what great players do,” Ducks defenceman Sheldon Souray said of Getzlaf. “He’s won, he’s a champion, he’s a leader.

“He’s doing what we expect him to do.”

For his part, Getzlaf said he didn’t want his team to be bouncing off the walls having not only dodged a bullet but seeing the momentum swing so greatly.

“That’s what I'm preaching the entire time,” Getzlaf said. “Obviously, if they score a goal there, you’re going to be a little bit more down. We’re trying to stay level headed the whole time. It’s one of the hardest things in the playoffs because there are so many ups and downs. Our group is doing a good job.”

Detroit won the previous two games in the series that went to overtime.

Wednesday’s finish was a wild ending to an entertaining see-saw game at the Honda Center.

“We really skated them and had opportunities, at times, really took over, at times. In saying that, I thought we could have been better. I thought we could have been harder.”

It was something of a subtle goaltending duel with Jimmy Howard strong in the early going by providing big glove saves on Teemu Selanne and Corey Perry in the first period.

Hiller was at his best in the second period, making impressive saves on Joakim Andersson and Patrick Eaves before denying Damien Brunner on a breakaway to prevent the Wings from adding to their 2-1 lead.